The environmental requirements for this invention are well known. Outside swimming pools have the problem of debris from the atmosphere--leaves, twigs, and the like--littering the pool. Indoor pools, to a lesser degree, likewise accumulate floating debris. Swimming pools are thus equipped with water circulation and filtering apparatus, which circulate and filter pool water.
As a side effect of this circulating filter system, there is generated within the pool, a slow, steady clockwise, or counter-clockwise rotation of the pool water. The flow in such a pool becomes very laminar, and floating debris becomes entrained in the laminar flow and tends to bypass the skimmer entrance to the filtering system.
Thus, a need quickly developed for a deflector which resides near the skimmer circulation entrance, which deflector stays in place during the many hours when a pool is not in use. Also such a deflector must easily be removable when the pool is put into use and for safety sake must not require any obtrusive attachment mechanisms. This invention supplies for the first time just such a swimming pool deflector apparatus.
The laminar flow phenomenon had lead to dozens of prior art methods and attempts in the art for a safe, workable deflection apparatus that serves to interrupt a portion of that flow, and redirect floating debris into the skimmer entrance for the filtration system. Although these devices are truly surface water deflectors, some in the art have misused the word "skimmer". A skimmer is actually an operator or machine moved cleaning apparatus. When manually moved, such a skimmer takes the from of a hand held combination pole and net that is manually moved about the pool surface to clean a large surface area.
There have been many prior art attempts to create deflectors which will do the job in a satisfactory manner. Those attempts to date have various shortcomings such as undue complexity and compromises for deck or pool safety. Most of these prior art devices are removeably connected to the pool by a permanent attaching fixture element that is somehow permanently affixed to the deck, pool side, skimmer opening, pool ladder or the like. These attachment elements in and about the pool periphery are obtrusive and create safety hazards.
Additionally, many of the attachment elements require the installer to work from within the pool. An aftermarket exists for a pool flow deflector which may easily be hand installed and hand removable, and which does not modify the surroundings and/or pool equipment in any way. Of particular importance is a pool deflector that does not rely upon attachment elements and the attendant safety hazards such elements create.